Press

Powder Her Face – Theater Magdeburg March – May 2018

Neue Musicalische Zeitung (Roland H. Dippel) 2.4.18: ‘Und die ihre Koloraturen mit zielgenau steiler Präzision schmetternde Daire Halpin revitalisiert das Fach der superblonden Opernsoubrette mit einem Schuss Flittchen vom Pay-Channel.’

[And with her coloratura with pin point precision shattering accuracy, Daire Halpin revitalises the Fach of the super blond soubrette with a shot of slut from the Pay Channel]

Anna Lena Kramer 3.4.18: ‘Auch Daire Halpin (u.a. als Zimmermädchen) erspielt und -singt sich mit ihrer glasklaren Stimme ohne große Mühe die Aufmerksamkeit des Publikums.’

[Also Daire Halpin (inter alia as a chambermaid) with her crystal-clear voice earns and sings the attention of the audience without much effort]

Volkstimme: 3.4.18’Daire Halpin war das klarstimmige und überhaupt stets bereite Kammerkätzchen.’

[Daire Halpin was the clear voiced and ever ready chamber kitten]

Powder Her Face – Irish National Opera, Wexford, Kilkenny, Dublin, Tralee February – March 2018

Irish Times (Michael Dervan) 28.2.18: ‘The supporting characters, a riotous medley entrusted to just three singers, soprano Daire Halpin, tenor Adrian Dwyer and bass Stephen Richardson, range from hotel staff and media to her husband and the judge. Their energy and adaptability, and the riot of colour exploding from the INO Orchestra under Timothy Redmond, are unflagging.’

Irish Examiner (Cathy Desmond) 5.3.18: ‘Daire Halpin and Adrian Dwyer nimbly moved in and out of a bundle of supporting roles, and danced very well too.’

Bachtrack (Michael Roddy) 8.3.18: ‘From the singing, to stage design with easy transport around the country in mind, to the 15-member pit orchestra seeded with some of Ireland’s best musicians, the production is directed and designed by Antony McDonald, directed for this Irish revival by Danielle Urbas, and was exhilarating from start to finish.’

Powder Her Face – NI Opera Lyric Theatre Belfast January 2017

The Times (UK) (Richard Morrison) 28.1.17:  ‘Adrian Dwyer, Stephen Richardson and Daire Halpin were superb’

The Telegraph (Rupert Christiansen) 29.1.17: ‘Daire Halpin and Adrian Dwyer are both pitch-perfect in their incarnations of representatives of the lower orders’

Culture Hub Magazine (Ciara Conway) 29.1.17: ‘Vocal prowess and superb acting are seen in Daire Halpin’s cockney articulated ‘Fancy’ aria’

London Irish Reflections – Irish Heritage The Forge, London 14.11.16

Irish World (Michael J McDonagh): ‘contemporary sophisticated musical gold’

‘impressive operatic vocal range’ ‘the purity of Daire’s remarkable voice‘

Heresy – Meta Productions The Project Theatre Dublin October/November 2016

Opera Today: ‘great support from rising young Irish soprano Daire Halpin as amongst others an authoritative Elizabeth 1st‘

The Irish Times: ‘Soprano Daire Halpin shows great versatility in parts ranging from the graceful Sophia, goddess of wisdom, to a cheeky courtier whom Fraad dresses in a naughty maid costume.’

No More Workhorse: First of all, Daire Halpin: Dublin’s audiences have had recently the chance to appreciate the lovely voice and technical prowess of this soprano in Opera Theatre Company’ Don Giovanni.’

Don Giovanni – Opera Theatre Company Dublin Theatre Festival – Gaiety Theatre and Cork Opera House, September/October 2016

Bachtrack: ‘Alexander Sprague and Daire Halpin both stood out equally for faithfulness to the original.’

‘Halpin was a delightful Zerlina, whose not huge voice was widely compensated by her perfect execution.’

The Independent: ‘Daire Halpin also excels as a sweet Zerlina’

Goldenplec: ‘Daire Halpin and Brendan Collins make for a believable Zerlina and Masetto, with Halpin’s singing of the aria ‘Vedrai carino’ a particular highlight, reaching the emotional heart of the story without losing her sense of humour.’

The Arts Review: ‘Jonathan May’s Commendatore, Alexander Sprague’s Don Ottavio, Daire Halpin’s Zerlina and Tara Erraught’s Donna Elvira are all wonderfully realised vocally‘

Gluck Il Parnaso Confuso –  Les Bougies Baroques Wilton’s Music Hall London August 2015

‘Halpin and Manifold steal the show with their arias, easily and exquisitely voiced’. The Guardian 

‘Daire Halpin’s brisk, Apollo sung with a lovely bright voice, warmed with vibrato and with a fine strong sense of line‘. ‘Daire Halpin brought cool brilliance to the role of Apollo’. Planet Hugill

‘Soprano Daire Halpin as Apollo sang with a lovely crystalline voice, which was an absolute delight in In Fronte a Voi Risplende and later in the even more taxing coloratura Vi Scuseranno Assai.’ Albert Storace, Sunday Times of Malta 23.8.15

Deane The Alma Fetish – Wide Open Opera/National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland Dublin September 2013

‘Alma (Majellah Cullagh) and Hulda (Daire Halpin) […] sang superbly. Halpin’s high-soaring soprano voice contrasted effectively with Cullagh’s luscious timbre and flexibility’. Sunday Business Post 13.10.13

‘There is fine, well-characterised singing from the three leads […] Daire Halpin often stealing scenes in Deane’s high-wire writing for the maid, Hulda.’ The Irish Times

‘Both baritone Leigh Melrose and soprano Daire Halpin steal the show, showing the audience their ability as performers through their mastering of Deane’s challenging score and understanding of Gavin Kostick’s libretto.’ Golden Plec

Britten A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Yorke Trust Norfolk July 2013

‘the Tytania we saw [Daire Halpin] would be welcome on any stage anywhere.’ Writer and broadcaster David Nice

Britten Beggar’s Opera – European Opera Centre and Liverpool Philharmonic Liverpool March 2013

‘voices to make you sit up and take note: […] Daire Halpin a more acerbic Lucy Lockit’ The Guardian

‘Daire Halpin […] led a very sparky cast’ The Independant

Joyce Ulysses – BBC Radio 4 June 2012

‘it is arguably the best thing the station has done since the first Dimbleby was captured in the wild and crated off to the basement of Broadcasting House’ The Guardian

Monteverdi Orfeo – Opera Theatre Company Ireland June 2012

‘Dublin-born soprano Daire Halpin sang mellifluously as Proserpina and, doubling up as Ninfa, evinced a bright, cheerfully engaging stage presence.’ Opera Britannia

‘There is some fine singing on display particularly by […] Daire Halpin’ Irish Theatre Magazine

Offenbach Orpheus and the Underworld – Scottish Opera/ NI Opera/ Young Vic Scotland /Northern Ireland /London August – December 2011

‘an enthusiastic cast certainly makes opera both accessible and fun, with Daire Halpin’s flush-faced, fox-hunting Diana […] particularly impressive.’ TNT Magazine

‘hilarious outbursts from Daire Halpin’s Diana’ The Independent

‘the excellent cast can both act and sing, notably […] Daire Halpin’s sloaney fox-hunting Diana’ The Guardian

‘the singing is uniformly fine, with […] Daire Halpin (Diana) standout.’ Intermezzo

Handel Messiah – Eastbourne Choral Society Eastbourne December 2010

http://www.eastbournechoralsociety.org.uk/r5.htm

‘the soprano’s beautifully placed high register caressed her exquisitely-judged ornamentation of Handel’s line: a fine demonstration that power is not the only (or indeed, the main) attribute of good singing’